A Guide to the Magnificent Sights of Italy Verona 2023
A Guide to the Magnificent Sights of Italy Verona 2023
We are happy to present you our unique travel guide for this amazing city, Italy Verona that will help you discover the wonderful attractions of this country. If you read our article until the end you will know where to eat, at which hotel to stay, you will see the tours worth doing, you will learn tricks to save money, how to get here and you will discover the budget you need depending on the travel offers presented.
Informations
Verona is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city municipality in the region and the second largest in northeast Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona covers an area of 1,426 km2 and has a population of 714,310 inhabitants. It is one of the main tourist destinations in northern Italy because of its artistic heritage and several annual fairs and shows as well as the opera season in the Arena, an ancient Romanamphitheater.
After visiting the wonderful cities of Bergamo and Milan, we set off for our home in Munich, but of course on our way there is a beautiful city with a rich history and so many wonderful things to see – this city is of course Verona.
We managed to get into the city around 11am, so we would not have had any problems with the ZTL area, but you have to be careful with the time you are allowed to enter. Here you can find the necessary informations. We were lucky and we found a parking right next to the Castelvecchio in front of a yard and we didn’t have to pay anything, we weren’t in the ZTL area either, so we weren’t pressed for time.
If you have already read our travel guide for the cities of Verona and Milan, you already know that there are areas in the city where you are allowed to enter by car between certain hours. If you violate this rule the fines are quite high. So please be careful with the ZTL areas! You can find more informations about these areas by searching on google about them.
Things to do
Castellvechio Ponte Scaligero
Castelvecchio is a castle in Verona, northern Italy. It is the most important military construction of the Scaliger dynasty that ruled the city in the Middle Ages. Castelvecchio is now home to the Castelvecchio Museum and the local officer’s club which can be accessed through the left door on Corso Cavour.
The castle is powerful and compact in its size with very little decoration – one square compound built in red bricks, one of the most prominent examples of Gothic architecture of the age, with imposing M-shaped merlons running along the castle and bridge walls. It has seven towers, a superelevated keep with four main buildings inside. The castle is surrounded by a ditch, now dry, which was once filled with waters from the nearby Adige.
After enjoying the beautiful views, we walked to the Arena in Verona. It was about 7 minutes walk. We recommend you to walk, because you will enjoy the wonderful city. Next to the arena, there is a very beautiful park, where you can sit quietly on the bench and admire the arena and the rest of the surrounding buildings.
Verona Opera
The Verona Arena is a well-preserved Roman amphitheater in the historic center of the Italian city of Verona. She is a symbol of the Venetian city along with the figures of Romeo and Juliet. It is one of the great buildings characteristic of Roman architecture and one of the ancient amphitheaters best preserved thanks to systematic restorations carried out since the 16th century. Precisely for this reason, despite the numerous changes, it allows the visitor to easily imagine the structure of this type of building, which has strictly preserved the function for which it was intended and is nevertheless of fundamental beauty.
Verona Cathedral Complex
During the Roman Empire, in the area of the present-day church, there were villas with private thermal baths (balnea) and probably also a few small temples.The first palaeo-christian basilica was built on the area occupied today by the church of S. Elena. It was consecrated by S. Zeno, bishop of Verona, between 362-380 A.D. but it soon turned out to be too small and a few decades later it was replaced by a larger basilica.
Archaeological Museum in the Roman Theater
The Archaeological Museum in the Roman Theater is a museum in Verona. It is located above the Teatro Romano di Verona, in the former monastery of St. Jerome the Jesuits.
Giusti Garden
The history and the preservation of the Garden is excellent. The tour has been well packaged to be self directed. Enjoyed the tangy scent, had a moment within the labyrinth, caught a view of town. Very refreshing atmosphere. Get your Verona card to slide through the tourist attractions easily.
Verona Arena
The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Bra in It is still in use today and is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performances given there. It is one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. In ancient times, the arena’s capacity was nearly 30,000 people. The stage for concerts and opera performances decreases the available places to a maximum of 15,000. It will be used as the closing ceremony venue for the 2026 Winter Olympics and two weeks later will be used for the Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Portoni della Brà
The Portoni della Bra is an access located along the municipal walls of Verona, created to connect the city to what was at the time the sub-urban countryside.
San Zeno Maggiore
After visiting the Arena we went to see San Zeno Maggiore.
The Basilica di San Zeno is a minor basilica of Verona, Northern Italy constructed between 967 and 1398 AD. Its fame rests partly on its Romanesque architecture and partly upon the tradition that its crypt was the place of the marriage of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It stands adjacent to a Benedictine abbey, both dedicated to St Zeno of Verona.
Then we headed back to our car, from where we left for Ponte Pietra. You can also take a walk if you like walking. For us it was easier to go with the car because we had our kids with us, and they would be to tired to walk that much. Luckily we found a parking lot right next to the bridge, we paid the related fee for 2 hours, and then we left for Juliet’s House.
But on the way to Juliet’s House we could see some of the city’s main attractions:
Piazza delle Erbe
The northern side of the square is occupied by the ancient town hall, the Torre dei Lamberti, the Casa dei Giudici (“Judges’ Hall”) and the frescoed Mazzanti Houses. The western side, the shortest one, features the Baroque Palazzo Maffei, decorated by statues of Greek gods. It is faced by a white marble column, on which is St. Mark’s Lion, symbol of the Republic of Venice. The north-western side occupies the site of the ancient Roman Capitol Hill, which looked towards the forum. Numerous of its buildings facing the square have maintained façade frescoes.
Torre dei Lamberti
The Torre dei Lamberti is a tower in the northern Italian city of Verona in Veneto. With a height of 84 meters, it clearly towers above its surroundings as one of the tallest buildings in the city. The tower stands right in the center of the old town, about 450 meters north-northeast of the Arena di Verona on the western corner of a block in the Piazza delle Erbe, on the narrow street Via della Costa, which forms a passage to the Piazza dei Signori.
Piazza dei Signori
Piazza dei Signori is surrounded by buildings and monuments of great historical and architectural importance. For the most important monuments (the City Hall, the Loggia of the Council, the Palace of the government, please read the special cards on the following pages.
Basilica di Sant’ Anastasia
The current church was started in 1280 and completed in 1400. It took its name from a pre-existing temple built by King Theoderic the Great upon which was built the actual church. Since 1307, it is in fact co-entitled to St. Peter of Verona, martyr and co-patron of the city.
Juliet's House
After seeing all this and admiring all the beautiful buildings and the streets with the beautiful Christmas markets of Verona, we finally arrived at Juliet’s House.
It was quite crowded but it was nice to see everything, and when you are there you really get into the atmosphere of the love story between Romeo and Juliet. It was a pleasant experience. It is even more beautiful if you go with your loved one.
Castel San Pietro
The Castle of San Pietro was planned and built in 1398 by the head of the Visconti family Giangaleazzo Visconti. In 1387, after a long political tug-of-war, the Visconti family took over the government in Verona from the Scaligieri (also known as the Lords of Verona) and the San Pietro Castle served them as a prestige object. With the construction of the Castle of San Pietro, they showed off their wealth and influence in Veneto. In order to increase the possibilities of defending Verona against foreign powers, they integrated the castle of San Pietro into the existing city wall in 1450.
Pietra Bridge
The Pietra bridge is a Roman arch bridge over the Adige River in Verona.
Next to the Pietra bridge you can see behind me the Parrocchia di San Giorgio in Braida.
Porta Nuova
The 16th century Roman style stone gate is an admirable massive building. In the small park opposite you can catch a nice view from a little further away. The plantings in front of the gate are very well maintained.
We also managed to take pictures with the Chiesa di San Fermo Maggiore:
Where to stay
A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. Verona offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.
Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature – Verona’s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.
We managed to find the best three companies that offer hotels, holiday homes and transportation. These are: Booking.com,Trip.com and Vrbo. We have already tested these companies and we warmly recommend them.As a result this will just bring you good deals for your next vacation.
Top hotels we recommend in Verona: Giardino Giusti House & Court ,Hotel San Marco Fitness Pool & Spa ,Hotel Milano & SPA***S .
Traditional Food
Ragu Alla Bolognese, or Bolognese sauce, is considered to be the national dish of Italy since it is used widely in Italian cuisine with many traditional Italian dishes and some of the best Italian dishes (spaghetti, tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccine…) across Italy.
Pizza, Focaccia- italian flatbread, Spaghetti.
Risotto, Polenta, Seafood, Lasagne, Ribollita, Minestrone.
Italian desserts: Panetonne, Tiramisu, Gelato, Tartufo, Panna Cotta, Cannoli
Restaurants
- Tre Marchetti : Home-cooked specialties like tagliolini in squid sauce, braised veal cheeks or rich tiramisu
- Locanda 4 Cuochi – The food’s inventive, tasty and fun, cooked in front of you in an open kitchen. The menu changes every two months
- Ristorante Il Desco -this restaurant has one Michelin star; The menu will offer very interesting variations of dishes like: plated salmon mi-cuit with capers and coffee powder, roasted scallops with parsley beurre blanc, and peach sorbet, apricot foam and hop bitter pear.
- Casa Perbellini – This two Michelin-starred gem is tucked away in the old town’s Piazza San Zeno.
- Osteria La Fontanina holds a Michelin star and prides itself on cooking traditional food to perfection
- Il Cenacolo – specialises in authentic regional cuisine : signature dishes like tortellini di Valeggio (stuffed egg pasta) and risotto cooked in Amarone wine
Saving Tips
- It’s no surprise that summer is the busiest tourist season in Italy. If you want to book one of our favorite cheapo hotels, make sure to book as early as possible. For even better rates (and fewer crowds!), visit in the spring or fall.
- The earlier you book your train or bus tickets, the cheaper the seats! By booking directly with the railroad, you can also take advantage of special promotions.
- Most of the larger tourist attractions and museums in Italy offer free entrance days throughout the week or at least once a month. Do some research ahead of time and maybe you can synch up your trip to a few of the free days.
- If you want to save money in Italy, don’t sit outside a Bar to have your coffee. If you are budget conscious, go to the counter and pay for the coffee you want. Once paid, show the receipt to the Barista and have your coffee standing there itself. If you sit outside, you will be charged an extra sum for the table.
- Despite all the crowds and high prices, many tourist attractions are worth a visit. In large cities, a city or city pass is therefore offered. This allows you to admire tourist attractions for less money and you can escape long queues.
- Avoid the Tourist Menu- Instead, go to a place where you would probably spot locals or simply a Pizzeria where pizza ranges from EUR 5-10! You can also go for Pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) and combine it with a bottle of beer from the supermarket.
- In bigger cities such as Rome, water is in abundance and free because of the many fountains in the city. This helps you save the money for that extra bottle(s) of water. Just remember to keep an empty bottled water and make use of the free fountain water. The tap water in Italy is safe to drink too but don’t rely on it.
If you do not go by car and need to know more informations about the tours, things to see and do, we recommend this two companies that are offering tours for any kind of activity you want to do and where you can buy trips much cheaper than if you buy them when you arrive at your destination. It is always good to be able to save some money!
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Shopping
Starting from via Mazzini, the ultimate shopping street in Verona, you will find a great amount of fancy shops selling haute couture items, but also many others within anyone’s reach. More interesting shopping sites are Piazza Erbe, where you will find boutiques with clothes and accessories of own production and Corso Porta Borsari, another street rich in exclusive shops.
Shopping Malls : Adigeo Shopping Center, Le Corti Venete Shopping Center.
Getting Around
It is very easy to travel in or from Italy. Italy has a well-developed public transport system that consists of railways, metros, buses, ferries, airplanes and other means of transport. You can use the train to travel in the country and outside. Italian railway system is extensive and well connected with the European railway system. The regional network is more extensive in the north, than in the South. An important high-speed train line connects the South with the North of the country going from Naples to Milan and Turin.
In the majority of larger Italian cities, public transportation is available, in the cities like Naples or Milan you have an extensive network of buses connecting all suburbs to the center of the town.
Buying tickets for public transportation varies from city to city, sometimes they are bought at dedicated sales points and other times they are bought on the bus for example, so be sure to check which options are available for the city you are travelling in:
Tourist Tickets (24 hour and 72 hour) – Lots of cities’ bus companies will offer a friendly price for tourists. These tickets usually have a validity from 24 to 72 hours, so tourists can have unlimited rides within that time period. Again, the length of the routes usually affect the price of these tickets. The further you go, the higher the price.
A “carnet” is a collection of tickets you buy at one time. For example, if you have to take the bus back and forth for 5 days, you would want to buy a “carnet 10 corse” and then you’d specify how many zones your route covers so the seller knows what ticket to give you. Every time you get on the bus, you validate that ticket and the machine will punch out one of the numbers to show you have used that ride. This can be a ticket option for tourists, especially those staying a bit longer in certain areas.
One-way tickets are most commonly sold for city buses. They have a period of time that they are valid for use, usually 90 minutes, so within the 90 minutes from validating your ticket on the bus, you can use that ticket for as many rides as you want. However, if it’s after 90 minutes (or whatever time period your ticket says) from the ticket’s validation, you’ll need a new ticket to take the bus. Read on to find out why validating your ticket is so important! Roundtrip ticket Regional buses usually sell roundtrip tickets and it’s pretty straightforward – keep your ticket for the return trip!
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Getting here
Italy is the most often visited country by tourists in the world so thus it’s no surprise that there are big international airports in Italy in almost every large city. The beautiful country houses a total of 77 airports.
Depending on where you are departing from in the United States or Canada, you are looking at about a 12-hour flight. If you are flying out from the East Coast, it will be in the range of about a 9-hour flight.
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One of the best things about traveling Italy by train is a chance to appreciate the allure of the breathtaking landscapes while enjoying a fast and convenient ride to the final destination.
The extensive Italian train system interconnects all major hubs of the country, making train rides in Italy a comfortable way of getting from one city to another. Moreover, the Italy train schedule offers numerous daily departures, so you can easily plan your upcoming adventure.
Train travel is often cheaper than flying, in part because you can generally take more with you before paying extra baggage fees. It can also be more convenient and relaxing than driving, especially if you’d be driving in an unfamiliar place or driving for many hours nonstop to get to your destination.
The main rail connections to its neighbour countries- Switzerland, France and Germany.
The bus, like carpooling, often has the advantage of being the cheapest way to travel. In addition to that, even if the trips for Verona can be longer or of the same duration as by car, today’s buses are equipped with comfortable seats and often benefit from a free wifi connection. This will allow you to do your favorite activities without worrying and thus, not to see the time passing. With Busbud you travel cheaply from Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Turin, Rome, Vienna, Paris, Zagreb, Bratislava, Prague and other cities to Verona.
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